Modeling Oyster Populations Dynamics -I. Effect of Available Food on Growth of the Pacific Oyster Crassostrea gigas in Goseong Bay, Korea-

Effects of available food on growth of commercially cultured Pacific oysters, Crassostrea gigas in Goseong Bay on the south coast were studied using a numerical model. levels of total protein, carbohydrate and lipid in particulate organic matter in the water column as well as chlorophyll a concentration were determined for estimating total available food for oyster growth. Environmental parameters including water temperature, salinity and total suspended solid were also monitored for the model. Oyster growth was also monitored by means of measuring shell length and tissue wet weight increase on a monthly basis. Simulation results from the numerical model indicated that chlorophyll a is not a good representative of available food for the oysters in Goseong Bay. In contrast, available food in the water column measured by filtration of the organic particles and analyzed in terms of total lipids, carbohydrates and protein was well matched with simulated oyster growth in the Bay which is similar to observed growth. The model also suggested that oysters have relatively low retention efficiency of $50%$ or less. This result indicates that oysters in the bay utilize only a part of food particle available in the water column, as reported in other studies.